"Honoured Member Of State Security" Badge.

[Bob]

Another try - sorry for bad lighting:idea

[medals73]

To summarise what I know (and apologies for possible duplication). I am not including the Dotood Yam Badge (Battushig D02). I think maybe it should be a new type 1?

Type 1 -- Reverse with 3 maker’s marks, serial number “No” -- observed range Low = 5 / High =975

Battushig listed this as two varieties (D03a and D03b) based on the gilt/silver distinction. He now admits this was in error and that the "gilt" / "silver" distinction is merely a function of the state of the survival of a rather thin and fragile gilt coating.

Here's a cased and documented set, #393. A 1973 award.

I previously showed earlier (1954) and later (1982) documents for this badge.

[medals73]

Type 2.1 -- AkhB, no maker mark, no number

Shown by Battushig as D05. There is, however, some considerable doubt that this badge was ever awarded.

Shown below. (Sorry, no reverse scan, shall remedy this ASAP.)

Type 2.2 -- no AkhB, no maker mark, no number

The same as 2.1 but without the legend on the ribbon. Shown only by Herfurt (M46.2) and he shows a lot of dubious/fantasy items. I am very dubious. A second prototype design for a badge that was never issued?

[Bob]

Originally Posted by medals73

To summarise what I know (and apologies for possible duplication). I am not including the Dotood Yam Badge (Battushig D02). I think maybe it should be a new type 1?

Type 1 -- Reverse with 3 maker’s marks, serial number “No” -- observed range Low = 5 / High =975

Battushig listed this as two varieties (D03a and D03b) based on the gilt/silver distinction. He now admits this was in error and that the "gilt" / "silver" distinction is merely a function of the state of the survival of a rather thin and fragile gilt coating.

Here's a cased and documented set, #393. A 1973 award.

I previously showed earlier (1954) and later (1982) documents for this badge.

Medals73 - is that case a "non-standard" Mongolian one? I.e. smaller in size than the cases occasionaly found with combat/labor medals?

[medals73]

Originally Posted by Bob

Medals73 - is that case a "non-standard" Mongolian one? I.e. smaller in size than the cases occasionaly found with combat/labor medals?

Well, I'll bring some cases home and measure them. :idea

[deValcourt]

As Alexei said earlier, this is rapidly becoming one of my favorite threads.:thumbsup

Cheers to all who have provided info, especially about the T1 and T2 being the same. I always thought that simply gilding the upper part was not a strong enough reason to classify it as a different variation. The first ones made were the most beautiful in my opinion and with the existence of the truly second type with the different state seal, it makes serial numbering and issue dates very confusing (which is why I thought about the returning them to the state after death and reissue later, even though that is starting to seem less likely because if that were the case, then how were we able to get these beauties?).:)

Phillip

[medals73]

In The Good Old Days, these were pretty easy to get from UB, whether from the Bank or from recipients. Those days, alas, are now long gone. If I sound like an Old Fart™ it is because I am.

[janes medals]

Hello again!

Does this look okay?! Many thanks!

[medals73]

Looks to be a reasonable badge to me. Shrill Soviet paranoia isn't usually needed for mellow Mongolia. Observed serial number range 5-975. Though perhaps a bank escapee and never issued?

[CtahhR]

Those mint marks really do it for me.

I would say the main concern in collecting Mongolian items is not fakes but actually receiving what you have purchased. Over 50% of Mongolian items I have purchased have not arrived. Dodgy dealers or poor postal system I'm not certain. I have seen an Order I purchased from a dealer in Mongolia that never arrived, offered for sale by another dealer a year later, who happens to be a US based forum member. I didn't receive a refund either. That's one of many negative tales I could tell about buying Mongolian - Lots of happy stories too.